Various sheet molding processes are well known in the art wherein a sheet of material to be molded containing resin components and reinforcing fibers is molded between heated dies. Thermosetting resins normally tend to shrink when molded and it has been customary heretofore to combine such resins with thermoplastic additives. Typically these resin systems have been used for making articles which are subsequently painted. Attempts to internally pigment the sheet to be molded have not been entirely successful because a mottled or washed-out color is obtained at the surface.
In some instances, using recommended procedures where a pigment is incorporated in the molding sheet, the molded parts have good appearances in the flat surfaces but in vertical walls the surfaces are dull, possibly streaked, and essentially poor in appearance in comparison with the horizontal surfaces.